Brushing devices have included those wherein the dentifrice supply was intended to be made integral with some form of brushing portion for dispensing the dentifrice. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,139 issued April 22, 1975.
Typical oral hygiene involves the separate purchase of toothbrush and dentifrice, the storage and wasteful dispensing of the dentifrice by repetitive tube squeezing, and the overuse of permanent-type toothbrushes well beyond their hygienic periods of use. The American Dental Association has urged the use of soft bristles for better care of gums. Still, teeth require vigorous brushing, such that after daily brushing, the soft bristles should be dispensed within a short period and replaced, for a good dental hygiene, to further avoid the harboring of mouth bacteria from earlier periods of oral infection. The novel device is particularly well adapted to use with but one hand, which is a special boon to permanently or temporarily handicapped persons, such as hospital patients who are partially immobilized, arthritis victims, and persons lacking normal digital capabilities. It presents a handy prophylaxis means for frequent travelers.
The present device permits persons to attend to their oral hygiene personally and with dignity. The costs of use of multiple disposable brushes over a period of time is offset by more economical use of dentifrice and the enhanced oral prophylaxis with fresh toothbrush use.
The present invention will obviate the need for purchase of a dentifrice tube separate from the brush and all of the daily routine involved in conventional dentifrice application to teeth. It also minimizes purchase of dentifrice amounts well in excess of current needs by limiting supply to immediate requirements.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a low cost, mostly plastic components toothbrush including an integral dentifrice supply, conserved conveniently until needed and made practically disposable upon dentifrice depletion.
Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable toothbrush in which liquid dentifrice is retained in the stem portion and dispersed selectively upon digital valving of the sealing closure member over the dentifrice chamber.
It is a further object to provide a disposable toothbrush integral with paste dentifrice supply which is readily expressed upon compression of the flexible stem portion with one hand.
Yet a still further object is to provide a disposable toothbrush with a contained dentifrice supply that is expressed by thumb manipulation of the stem portion only.
These and other objects and advantages are accomplished by the teaching of the following specification, drawing and claims.